Hurricane Irma climbs Florida coast, dangerous storm surges feared

September 12, 2017 02:40 AM

Punjab News ExpressNIANI: Powerful winds from Hurricane Irma battered Florida with forecasters warning of dangerous strom surges that will lead to massive flooding across the US state, media reports said.

The massive storm, which had menaced Florida for days and triggered evacuation orders covering 5.6 million people, made two official landfalls on Sunday, reports The Washington Post.

The first, at about 9.10 a.m., was over the Florida Keys, an isolated string of islands. Irma hit them as a Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds near 130 miles per hour.

After the Keys, Irma crossed over warm waters and hit the US mainland near the beach town of Marco Island.